Can the Violence Stop? What do you think?

This Blog was created by Sheila Wilson, President of Stop Health Care Violence Non-Profit

All the stories from the individuals that have been hurt in the Emergency Rooms or other Medical Facilities are important. We  all  could help to find some solutions to this Major Epidemic.  If you have any comments or suggestions you can contact Sheila Wilson on Facebook.  Information on how to contact Sheila, is displayed at the end of this blog.

 How do we make the violence stop, or can we? Can we reduce the intensity?

Violence is escalating and doesn’t seem to be stopping unless we as healthcare workers do something about it!  Do you agree?

I received an email one day about a nurse that had been assaulted. This person asked me to call the nurse and ask if we could do anything for her. I called Mary and listened as she described her experience. The following is Mary’s Story.

It had been a hectic day. I was in the office and heard a frantic bang on the nearby door. I didn’t know how or why someone could be behind the door, as it was restricted area, but the pounding continued. I opened the door to find a woman looking anxious. As I stood in front of her, I asked if I could help. I was shocked at what happened next: The woman looked at me, put her hands on my shoulders, and pushed me violently. The next thing I remembered I was on the floor, with a medical assistant nearby trying to calm the woman down. Security personnel arrived at the scene and were able to escort the woman to the main emergency Room.

I was shaken so badly I needed to leave the area. I told another nurse about my patients and went to the break room to sit and try to recover. I couldn’t handle this assault. Physically, I was already very sore.my shoulder was throbbing and my butt ached, Emotionally, I felt humiliated. I couldn’t believe this had happened. Worse, I knew something was wrong, and the dread I felt left me sick with worry.

What is workplace violence?
Workplace violence is any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site. It ranges from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and even homicide. It can affect and involve employees, clients, customers and visitors.

(OSHA)
Mary decided to end her shift and go home, handing her patients over to another nurse. She knew she should have stayed and completed an incident report about the assault; she knew she could have contacted the police and filed a report. These thoughts were present, but she simply couldn’t handle what had happened. She cried all the way home, having to pull over to the side of the road. The pain in her right shoulder was great, but not as extreme as the pain in her mind.

Now I would like to ask:
Should someone have assisted Mary in filing an incident report and contacting the police to report who had assaulted her? Would that have been helpful?

As my conversation with Mary drew to a close, she said
She would keep me informed as to how things developed. She had a medical appointment about which she was very concerned. I was unsure what her concern entailed, believing that the pain in her shoulder would have indicted she needed an x-ray, and that she should go to the emergency room, and I was puzzled as to why she was waiting for an appointment with her physician instead.

About a week later Mary contacted me to report that she’d seen her physician. She was bruised, she said, and still feeling “just awful”. Many years ago, Mary told me, she’d had surgery in her right shoulder as a result of an accident. She had hardware put in and had needed to attend physical therapy for years. In fact, her right shoulder had been paralyzed for three years. Physical therapy and Mary’s sheer determination had helped her regain the strength in her shoulder. She believed, with dread, that this was the cause of her pain, although she fervently wished it not to be true. She was extremely distraught over the thought of needing further surgery at some point.

Months passed since the assault, and Mary had still not returned to work. I wasn’t sure if she was collecting workers compensation: she didn’t share that with me. She did disclose, however, that no one from administration had contacted her to inquire how she was doing, although some of Mary’s had called, asking how she was and did she need anything. She told me she’d never filed the incident report or a police report, and that in fact she had forgotten the individual’s name that assaulted her.

Enter the Healthcare Advocate:

When a healthcare worker is assaulted, imagine if someone were to assist the victim- a non-administrative advocate. This healthcare advocate could assist in filing an incident report and a police report; speak to risk management with her; go to employee health; and perhaps even attend court with her.

It is my belief that under reporting is due to healthcare worker misconception of workplace violence; “it isn’t that bad; he didn’t mean it; the patient was inebriated; she said she was sorry,” Or perhaps the worker assumes there is global indifference; “Who cares? No one does anything about it”

With an advocate in place, there would be a non-administrative point -person designated to check in with the victim frequently, communicate with staff, conduct ongoing education and outreach, and foster a sense of security and right to safety for healthcare workers.

It is my hypothesis that empowering victims of violence by supporting and guiding those through the reporting process may begin to lift misconceptions about workplace violence, and, perhaps, decrease the frequency and/or severity of its occurrence.

Sheila Wilson MPH BSN R.N.
President-stophealthcareviolence
Stophealthcareviolence.org
Author; “The shocking reality of violence in healthcare and what we can do about it”

To get in contact with Sheila Wilson on  Facebook

Sheila also, has another page on Facebook  “Stop Health Care Violence”  Click here

Join the conversation and help make a difference.  Come on, if we don’t do it, Who Will?

 

 

To Purchase this book for assistance on Violence in HealthCare   Click Here

 

 

Please share this Blog created by Sheila Wilson.  There are many people making a difference in so many ways  Here is one person that is trying to bring awareness to the violence in the ER to our wonderful Nurses.  Stand up and help Please  

You can email  questions or just to say Hi to me. Enjoy hearing from you. pwrnetworkllc@gmail.com

Also, would appreciate sharing this Post. 

Please join us in subscribing to our post.  You will be updated on what is happening with our host and receive the latest post. All the information is up the right hand side of this blog.  Send me a note to say Hi when you have joined us.  Always appreciate the support.

Make it a Brilliant day
Jeanne White
Station Manager/Host
Passionate World Talk Radio

Passionate World Talk Radio